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Our trip officially began bright and early at Terminal 2 of San Francisco International Airport, where everyone gathered around 4:45 a.m. Even though it was still dark outside, you could feel the excitement as everyone arrived with their bags and met up before the flight. Soon we boarded the plane to Chicago, and the energy carried right onto the flight. Some people took naps, others watched movies, and many of us spent the time chatting and looking forward to everything we were about to do.
After landing, we made a quick stop at the bathrooms and then walked out to find our shuttle driver waiting with a sign that had our school’s logo on it, which made it feel official that we had finally arrived. Once we collected our bags, we hopped onto our private bus and began the drive into the city. As the skyline slowly came into view and the buildings stretched higher and higher above us, it felt like we were finally arriving in the big, windy, beautiful city of Chicago.
One of our first stops for food was Portillo's. After a long day of traveling, everyone was pretty hungry, so it felt good to finally sit down and eat. The restaurant was busy and had a fun, energetic vibe, with people ordering at the counter and trays of food being called out.
A lot of people ordered some of the things Portillo’s is known for, like Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, burgers, and fries. Once we got our food, everyone sat with their friends, talked about the trip so far, and relaxed for a while. It was a great first meal of the trip and a fun way to start our time in Chicago.
After Portillo’s and a little bit of rest to recover from our morning flight and adjust to the time change, we checked into the hotel and took some time to relax and catch up. By 5:45, we were all ready to head out and walked over to Pizzeria Due, a Chicago classic known for its deep-dish pizza.
The best part? We got to make our own pizzas! Everyone had fun customizing their creations, and we even had a little friendly competition to see whose pizza looked the most amazing. Gianna Delgado’s pizza stole the show, it was picture-perfect and got everyone’s attention.
Once the pizzas were ready, we all sat together, ate, and chatted, getting to know the people around us. The food was incredible, the laughs were nonstop, and time flew by. By the end, we were full, happy, and ready to jump into our next Chicago adventure!
After our pizza at Pizzeria Due, we walked six blocks over to Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, a local favorite known for its creative ice cream flavors. The line wrapped around the corner, but everyone was excited and didn’t mind waiting. Jeni’s offers a mix of classic favorites and unique flavors that push you out of your comfort zone. We tried Milkiest Chocolate, Banana Cream Pudding, and Darkest Chocolate, and everyone had fun swapping bites and discovering new favorites. It was a nice, relaxed break after a busy day of traveling, and a chance to laugh and chat with friends.
To finish the night, we stopped at a nearby CVS to grab snacks for the hotel and waters for the next day. Back at the hotel, everyone settled in, tired but happy, full from the day’s food and excitement, and ready to rest for tomorrow’s adventures. Parents, stay tuned, this is just the start of our Chicago trip!
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